Fastener for display characters



July 7, 1931. J 00KE 1,812,933 FASTENER Fon DISPLAYGHARACTERS Filed May 5. 195o Patented July 7, 1931 UNITED STATES JAMES COOKE, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA FASTENER FOR DISPLAY CHARACTERS Application led May 5, 1930. Serial No. 449,964.

My invention relates to display characters, such as letters, figures, etc. of such form as to be adapted to be permanently secured to a wood base or mounting. `The construction here disclosed is an improvement on that disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,511,028 of October 7, 1924.-.

An important object of my invention' is to provide efficient attaching means so arranged that no tacks or other fastening devices are visible on the exterior surface of the ydisplay character; nor is it necessary to interrupt or mar the exposed face of the character with any openings. The desired re- 15. sult is secured by providing bent-back portions of the body of the character and securing the attaching means in said bent back portions. The specic form of the attaching elements may be varied within the limits indicated in the claims.

A further object of my invention is to provide a fastening device that will securely Y hold the desired characters onl either soft or hard wood supports. The construction disclosed in my prior patent heretofore identified will function satisfactorily when applied to hard wood, but does not function equally well in soft wood. Much of the use of characters of the kind here contemplated is for the display of street numbers, names, etc. as applied to buildings, the material of which is vquite generally pine or other soft wood.

A fastening device must therefore be pro-A vided that may easilyfbe applied by the use of a hammer and that will remain permanently in place.

` Furthermore, ask the characters are individual, and as they are used in series, the attaching means must be so designed that the characters may be applied in exact alignment; in other words, the prongs must be so arranged that the act of driving the prongs into the wood will notv tend to shift the position of the character.

The desired result is accomplished by providing pairs of sheet metal prongs arranged in parallel planes and in reversed relation relative to their high points. Thus, any tendency toward shifting of the character during driving, due to the triangular 'form -of`a prong is offset by the opposite tendency of the adjacent prong.

The invention will be more readily understood byfreference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing a serles of characters constructed in accordance with my invention, the lastof the series being in the process of being applied;

Fig.l 2 is a back plan view of one of the characters; 1

Fig. 3 is an edge view thereof;

Figui is an end view;

F ig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation better dshowing the form of the reinforced prong; an

Fig. 6 is a plan view on the same scale as that of Fig. 5.

In the drawings, I have illustrated a support which may be a wood board 10. To this support has been secured a series of letters and characters 11. The last character, being the letter S, is in the process of being applied by the use of a common hammer.

.The specific construction of the characters is preferably that of a length of sheet metal comprising a body portion 12 the ends 13 of which are doubled back on the body.

The fastening devices are of peculiar form and consist of pairs lll-15 of prongs of triangular form in outline and arranged in parallel planes. Each pair of prongs is formed by die action in striking the two prongs out of a substantially square area of metal. This results in the formation of triangular prongs that are oppositely disposed as to their high portions. However, prongs composed of relatively light gauge metal arranged in a plane are of doubtful strength and holding capacity in soft wood. I have therefore increased their holding capacity in soft-wood, by providing flanges 16 along the edge at the high point. Preferably these flanges are not disconnected from the base at 17 in order to add to the resistance to bending of the prong as a whole. Preferably also, the flange. is diminished in thickness at its upper end as at 18, merging into the point 19 of the prong.

Fastening prongs arranged and construct- 'f2 'y l 1,812,933

ed as described Will be found to be of relatively great strength and of astonishing holding capacity in soft Wood. The characters are economically constructed, the figures or '5 letters being applied to the faces by enamel- 'ing or similar means.

Obviously, they exact orm and arrange- Yment need not be followed in Vorder Vto secure the benefits of ythis invention,v and ll do not Wish to be limited except as indicatedin l the appended claims.

I claim:

' l. The combination with a display oharacter having a back, of a prong projecting from the back, said prong being of triangular outline in side elevation7 and-a vflange projecting from and angularly disposed vrelative tothe high end-of the prong. v

2. The combination withY a display-characzo ter having a support, of triangular sheet metal prongs at the backof and perpendicular to ksaid support7 the vertical 'edgeof said prongs beingiianged to 'stifen the same and to increase their holding capacity in wood.

3.` The combination with a display character having a support, of triangular sheet metal prongs at the .back of and perpendicular to said support, the vertical edge o'vsaid prongs being ianged to stif-en thev same and to increase their'holding capacity in wood,

the Width ofthe flange diminishing toward the point of the prongs. Y

4:. The combination With a character hav'- ing a sheet metal back,y of a triangular prong Y struckout of said metalf, the bodyf of said f prong lying'in a plane, the vertical edge of lthe prong being stirened by a lateral flange, said flange diminishing in width toward the point of the prong.

40 Intestimony whereofv have axed'mv v signature.v

I e JAMES oooim.'A 

